Apresentação / Opening / Apertura

Nápoles não esquece: Matteo Ripa, grande artista na China, mediador cultural no mundo

Apresenta-se a figura de Matteo Ripa. O facto de ter escolhido Nápoles como sede para o seu Collegio dei Cinesi, as travessias enfrentadas sempre com coragem ao realizar este seu projeto deixaram um sinal indelével no mundo. Nápoles ainda guarda testemunhos na memória do seu povo, nas estruturas ainda existentes, na atual e vivíssima Universidade “L’Orientale”.

Maria Luisa Cusati has taught Portuguese language and literature, Brazilian literature and literature of the Portuguese-speaking countries at “L’Orientale” University in Naples, the first university to open its doors to Portuguese language in Italy. Later on, she introduced this subject at “Suor Orsola Benincasa” University in Naples. She has organised Conferences, Exhibitions, Conventions opening up the activities to the city so to promote the knowledge of Portuguese history and extraordinary culture. In cooperation with the then Honorary Consul of Portugal in Naples, in 1986, she was among the founding members of the ”Associazione Italia Portogallo”, of which she is currently in charge. In her research, she has focused on authors from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries studying Portuguese synchronically and diachronically and translating the work of authors of different periods, without neglecting contemporary authors. She is director of the series “Lusitana Italica”, which presents Portuguese texts from different periods and different fields with parallel translation, and which is now undergoing a revival. Her latest work is the first complete Italian translation of Arte de Furtar, as it is known, anonymous text from the 16th century. She is Honorary Consul of Portugal for Campania, Basilicata and Calabria since 1996. She has been awarded the honour of the Ordem do Infante by President Jorge Sampaio in 2004.